Cheating Death
by AriaStark
Summary: SPOILERS! Breathing hard, Spock stares down at Khan. Unconscious, the terrorist no longer is the one man army out for vengeance.He seems to be a man at peace. Innocent even. But that does nothing to subside the rage burning inside Spock bought by Khan's mere presence...
1. Chapter 1

I DO NOT OWN STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS

I'm only unleashing my imagination.

Chapter 1

Breathing hard, Spock stares down at Khan. Unconscious, the terrorist no longer is the one man army out for vengeance. With his facial muscles relaxed, he seems to be a man at peace. Innocent even. But that does nothing to subside the rage burning inside Spock bought by Khan's mere presence. Rage, that Spock is not unfamiliar with, yet it had threatened to destroy him had he not taken it all out. He acknowledges Jim's actions on Kronos now. Closing his eyes, he tries to even his breath.

_Jim._

_Hope. There is still hope._

Though the usually dominating Vulcan presence in his mind yells at how illogical it is to feel such strong uncontrolled emotions, Spock is surprised at how human that thought was.

"_I'm talking to the half-human part."_

"Spock!" Uhura calls out over the howling wind.

Meeting her concerned gaze, Spock feels raw and exposed after his emotional explosion, so he looks away and responds only with a nod.

"They can't beam us up, there's too much activity here."

"The transporter will stop in less than 10 seconds which will reduce the activity significantly and allow us to beam abroad the ship" Spock says, sounding almost like his usual self.

Regaining their balance after almost being thrown off the transporter due to its sudden deceleration and parabolic stop, Spock becomes aware of his multiple physical injuries and leeching exhaustion. The bubbling headache, which he no longer can choose to ignore, reminds him of Khan's failed attempt at crushing his skull with his bare hands. He can almost feel dents on his head.

_Minor skull fracture _

"Uhura to Enterprise, we are ready to be beamed up"

"Good. I'm locking on your signal, stay right where you are. We'll beam you directly to the med-bay" Sulu replies. From their current position, the only thing betraying that a Starship had fall from space, is the thickening black cloud of smoke hanging over the buildings.

_Considering evacuated citizens, estimated loss of life: 257,000_

Spock thinks grimly before he sees the familiar beams of energy surrounding them and a moment later, he finds himself still on his knees beside Khan, on the polished floor of the Enterprise med-bay. Dr. McCoy is already beside him taking Khan's blood and barking orders.

"Sedate this bastard with the strongest dose of M-65 and keep him sedated every 20 minutes!" Before Spock has time to react, a nurse jabs him with a hypo to the right side of his neck and a cool sensation starts to spread under his skin.

"Sir, you have a fracture on the right side of your skull." The human nurse says, scanning his head. "Minor, nothing to worry about, especially with that thick head of yours and the dose I gave you…..I mean, Vulcan's have thicker skull than.." The nurse rectifies red faced. "You also have 3 cracked ribs, an internal bleeding in…" The nurse goes on about all the gruesome injuries Spock had sustained; occasionally jabbing with a hypo, but Spock is already feeling better. The then throbbing pain is now only a tingle and the cool sensation which had spread throughout his head, relaxes his mind.

Spock thanks the nurse sincerely.

A tremor runs through his body as the Enterprise shudders under his feet.

"_How's the ship?"_

Ignoring the discomfort of his cracked ribs, Spock stands up. He looks for the doctor but he is no where to be found, so he heads for the bridge, joined by Uhura in the lift.

Alone at last, she cautiously hugs him, keeping his injuries in mind.

"He's going to be okay." She breaths on his shoulder, reassuring both of them. Relishing in their physical communication, Spock hugs her back. They kiss softly before the elevator door swish opens, revealing a rather quite bridge. Stepping in, Spock is met with the undivided attention of the crew. He only raises his left eyebrow in confusion.

"Is the captain going to be alright?" Sulu asks, speaking for everyone.

"Dr. McCoy is doing everything within his capabilities at the moment. With his qualification, it would be safe to have faith in the captain's return. Also our captain is recalcitrant. Normal rules do not apply to him." Spock says with a hint of a smile. Whatever tension that remained, dissipates as his crew members break into grins .

"Contact Starfleet for immediate medical and docking assistance"

Still smiling, Lt. Uhura takes her chair with habitual professionalism and complies.

"Aye Commander. Transmission sent. Um Admiral Hayes is contacting us."

"On screen please."

"Kirk! What the …." The Admiral stops when she realises that she isn't talking to the young captain of the Enterprise.

"The _Captain _is currently is med-bay, suffering from a major radiation poisoning after successfully realigning the damaged wrap-core, hence saving everybody onboard. Any accusations against the captain would not be justified and unacceptable." Spock replies calmly. The respect and pride, though subtle, is evident. The Admirals dark eyes go wide but he Spock continues.

"Our ship has been heavily damaged. As Acting- Captain, I request medical support and docking assistance."

"Yes we received your transmission, they're on their way." Inhaling deeply, the Admiral bursts "Commander half of San-Francisco with our Starfleet base is buried under that ship. The death toll is unimaginable. Earth's defences recognised 2 Starfleet ships, which means that our sensors were overridden. This whole attack was planned!"

"Your deductions would seem correct Admiral, but USS Vengeance is from Starfleet."

Please forgive any mistakes I've made. I havn't seen the previous star trek series.

Do review.


	2. Meld-Merized

**I don't own the characters but i do own this piece of writing.**

**The chapter's been named after a soundtrack of Star trek into darkness by Michael Giacchino. **

**That being said, I want to thank all of you who enjoyed my last chapter. And I hope you guys enjoy this too**

Chapter 2 Meld-Merized

"U.S.S. Vengeance? But that ship- that operation was put on hold, it's not possible-" The Admiral looks away at something the Enterprise cannot see, and then looks back at Spock in utter disbelief.

"How?"

"On our return from capturing Khan, a.k.a John Harrison, we were intercepted by Admiral Marcus"

Spock recognizes shock, confusion, anger and finally masking them all, authority in the 3 second pause that followed as the message sunk in.

"Return back to base. We'll discuss this matter over the debriefing." With that, the contact ends as abruptly as it had begun.

"Sir, dock patrols have arrived." Sulu notifies.

….

Spock is restless. The very detailed recapitulation of the recent events had lasted precisely 3 hours and 27 minutes and reliving it had not been appreciated. Nevertheless he did comply, with his usual calm and patience to every question the 5 Admirals and 3 high ranking officials drilled him with. Now Spock is waiting for the dismissal that never seems to come.

_My presence is no longer necessary._

He decides to make that thought verbal, but Admiral Barnett sighs heavily.

"Commander, you do realize that you have violated Starfleet regulation 3.0 by abandoning your post as First Officer when the ship was in such a critical state." He says warily.

Spock is aware of that. His actions then were purely, emotionally driven and had no logical origin.

"The ship had stabilized adequately when the power had come back online. My ethics stated that it was only logical to terminate the threat. Should Khan have escaped, it would be accurate to presume that the consequences would have been highly inexorable." Spock defends himself, not masking the irritation. No one responds to his statement. And as the seconds turn to minutes of silence, Spock relaxes his back muscles to avoid the possibility of sprain by sitting in formal for such a long duration. In Kirk's vernacular, he is starting to get pissed off.

There are matters of higher priorities to be discussed. Reason for such uncharacteristic stall is unclear.

Seeming to read his mind, Admiral Hayes, who is also present among the group of interrogators, finally breaks the silence.

"Yes. Apart from tripling our defenses and monitoring different quadrants with widened view after the destruction of your home planet, there was an idea of militarizing Starfleet. An idea brought by Marcus. But that was voted against because of its violent capabilities and the possibilities of destructive exploitations. Starfleet had not authorized it. To think that he would bow so low- S.S. Botany bay was found last year, official reports stating that it was uninhabited. Recent evidence suggests that Marcus had been involved with the tampering." She growls.

"If I may, what has happened of Khan?" Spock enquires.

"For lack of a better option he has been placed back in a cryotube, for now. Awake and fully functional he is too dangerous. We will deal with him once we have controlled the situation we are in right now. His case is still ongoing."

It seems logical.

Admiral Barnett stands up, signalling the end of the meeting.

"You are all requested to be present here tomorrow at 9 hundred hours to discuss further matters. Dismissed"

Spock wastes no time to exit. It has been about 7 hours since the Enterprise had safely docked and frustratingly, there has been no word from the doctor ever since. He quickens his pace and heads for the hospital. He needs to meet the doctor. He needs to see Jim.

Amidst the still ongoing chaos, Starfleet is a focal point of activity. The place is populated beyond capacity by injured and non-injured alike. The ground level is filling with friends, families and lovers, most looking for their loved ones, some mourning their dead, and some waiting for the dead to revive.

Spock balks a passing nurse.

"I am looking for James T. Kirk."

"He is unit 217.B" She replies looking down at her PADD.

"Thank you."

Stepping out of the way of urgent doctors and crying mothers, the atmosphere of the place slowly starts creeping into him. The death and grief around him is suffocating. He tries to quicken his pace but his efforts are futile. It is strange, as people usually stepped out of his way due to his high rank in Starfleet.

Suddenly a hand grabs his elbow.

"Come with me." The thickly accented voice of the owner of that hand, commands. Standing out in the complete white medical uniform, nobody seems to cross paths with the doctor; hence making their march relatively easy. And together they manage to reach the right level.

Displeased at not being kept posted, Spock starts. "Doctor, as First Officer it is my duty to be aware of the Captains wellbeing. It was expected of you-"

"Ah don't give me that shit Spock. I've been busy." The Doctor interjects, sounding more tired than irritated. "I've never seen this place like this before."

Somewhere from their right, a woman wails.

_210, 211, 212…_

"How is he doctor?"

"Alive." There is something in his tone and expression that Spock cannot place.

_Shock?_

_217._

He involuntarily slows down. McCoy notices this but chooses not to comment.

Entering the unit, the doctor immediately goes next to Jim's bio-bed and checks the monitors. But Spock is rooted at the entrance. Pale as he'd ever seen him, he would have concluded Jim as dead if not for the faint rhythmic rise and fall of his chest.

His fingers tingle as he remembers Jim dying before his eyes. He knows that that memory, along with that of his mother's death and the destruction of his planet, will forever haunt him. But looking at the doctor, he suspects that this whole ordeal must be harder on Bones.

"His heart restarted only an hour ago. Had him immediately transfused with Khan's blood after you got that bastard. Maniac's blood is working marvelously. With a regenerative rate like that; it's a doctor's dream. His brain activity seems normal but with almost every cell damaged with radiation, it's going to take time. If all goes the way it should, he should be awake in about 2 weeks."

Spock nods.

"What did they do with Khan anyway?" The doctor asks, facing him.

"He has been put to cryogenic sleep." Spock replies monotonously.

"Well that son of a-"

Suddenly his PADD blares an alarm and the doctor exclaims.

"Shit!"

The doctor dashes out without a backward glance, leaving him alone with Jim.

He walks closer to the bed unsure what to do.

Unlike his father, Jim had not made him choose paths. Instead he had made him acknowledge himself as the being he is. A hybrid of logic and emotion. Facts and feelings. _Vulcan and Human. _A 3rd path with untold possibilities_. _Does that not explain why he had decided to join Starfleet instead of The Vulcan Science Academy and purge all emotion? He knew deep down, that he would not be accepted there as he had been referred as a disadvantage because of his human mother. Did he not join Starfleet to be accepted though he had never truly accepted himself completely?

The first time he had met Jim, Spock had concluded that he was brash, too emotionally driven and had no regard for rules and regulations, so he would not want to have any further interactions with him. His presumptions had been correct ofcourse, but the more time he spent with him and the more adventures they had together, he realized that there is more underneath that overly confident façade. Frustrating at it may be, he has grown to enjoy Kirk's unpredictability and the challenge of unraveling what's inside his mind.

Mind

Before he could stop himself, Spock places his fingertips on Kirk's temple and melds their minds.

He finds himself riding a 2 wheeled terrestrial vehicle at 0500 hours, fast enough to be deemed reckless. His knuckles hurt as he steers and the gushing wind brought by the speed, soothes his burning nose.

"_What does he think of himself? My father!?" _He hears Jim's thoughts. Spock is confused. When he had looked up Kirk after he had incredulously passed the Kobayashi Maru, the records had said that Pike had convinced him to enlist in Starfleet, in a bar. Concluding that this isn't the correct memory he is looking for, he is about to end it. But he feels the engine slow down and something catches his eyes. Jim's eyes.

It seems very out of place amidst the endless fields of agriculture, but it attracts Jim in a way no woman ever has. It is the birthing of a ship. The ship reminds Spock of the Enterprise, his memory confirming it with its initial designs. But for Jim-

Jim is a supernova of emotions. The obvious reminder of his father brings a wave of despise.

_Despise?_

"_No. Shut him out"_

In an attempt to not think about his father, he concentrates on the ship. Among the awe and innocent curiosity, there is one feeling that grows stronger the longer he stares at the ship. A feeling which Spock cannot define.

_A gut feeling_

Kirk is aware of it too. The precise reason why he rides forward towards the riverside shipyard to be part of the new recruits and start a new life, leaving Spock baffled.

_He had decided to join Starfleet on the basis of a gut feeling._

Fascinated and wanting to know more, he walks into a bar feeling overly delighted about himself. Scanning the feminine species present, he locks his eyes upon a pair of identical Catians and grins savagely.

"_Target locked"_

Making a beeline for them, he brushes the tail of the left Catian not so accidentally.

"Meow ladies"

Sensing the irrelevance and the predictable aftermath, Spock ends the memory and finally finds the bar scene he is looking for. He is positive it is the one as he hears Nyota.

"Guys! He's had enough!"

With an audible crack, pain explodes from his broken nose. Blinded and ears ringing, Spock has a hard time trying to concentrate on what's going on. He is hauled up by his shirt, threatening the nausea to break out, but the anticipated blow does not come as a really loud whistle pierces the room. The beefy hand suddenly releases the grip, causing him to pathetically collapse on the bar table.

"Out! All of you."

Spock sees up side down, the familiar long legs of Uhura leave along with everybody else and a man in high ranking Starfleet uniform staring down at him in amusement and concern.

"You alright son?"

"You can whistle really loud you know that?"

….

"_Can't he just leave me alone?"_

"Jim if your half the man your father was Starfleet could use you. You know what Starfleet is about right; it's a peace keeping humanitarian armada-" He feel a sting of pain which did not belong to his broken nose and a set of incomprehensible images flash in his eyes to which Spock mentally flinches.

"Are we done?"

He understands what he mistook for a mental attack was. Something that Pike had said had triggered some locked, but not forgotten memory to resurface. Jim seems to either have not noticed whatever had transpired or he mistakes it to his broken nose or he simply seems to ignore it, Spock can't figure it out due to the alcohol induced brain.

"I'm done." Pike stands up disappointed.

"Shuttle for new recruits' leaves tomorrow, o' eight hundred. You know your father was captain of the ship for 12 minutes. He saved 800 lives, including your mother's and yours. I dare you to do better." On that note he leaves, leaving Jim guilty and ashamed for being a disappointment, though he does not acknowledge it himself with his arrogance.

…..

"90 seconds to detonation."

Spock recognizes the Enterprise bridge, under the ocean of planet Nibiru. The screen counts down Spock's doom and Jim is a ball of dread. The intensity of the emotion is so uncomfortably overwhelming that Spock marvels Kirk's ability to contain it.

"_This shouldn't be happening. What would you do Spock?"_

"If Spock was here and I was there, what would he do?" The question meant for McCoy's ears only.

"He'd let you die." Spock feels a twinge of anger at Leonard's harsh judgement, which only amplifies at Jim's disappointment.

"_Screw the directive. What they don't know won't hurt them."_

Spock pulls out of the meld, suddenly fuming at what he'd last seen. Or is he angry at his Vulcan counterpart that does not allow him to deviate from rules? According to McCoy, he would have let Jim die. But every cell in him revolts against that thought as he looks at his friend lying on the bio-bed damaged, but not beyond repair. Yet there is no order where there are no rules. Would he have left him to die? Or would he, or rather, could he have done what Jim had done.

He leaves, pondering on it, desperate to find the answer.

"_What would I have done?"_


End file.
